Rheumatism History Taking Flashcards
Rheumatoid arthritis is often associated with morning stiffness lasting for what length of time?
> 30mins
Which other conditons can be related to rheumatoid arthritis?
- Psoriasis
- Inflammatory bowel disease
What is reactive arthritis?
A reaction to a previous infection
(normally STIs e.g. chlamydia or gonorrhoea or bacterial gastoenteritis e.g. campylobacter or salmonella)
Joint aspirate is clear
Which conditions can be associated with polyarthritis?
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Lupus
- Psoriatic arthritis (can also be monarthritic)
What is the term given to arthritis which comes on, completely recovers and comes on again?
Palindromic arthritis
What are the main risk factors for gout?
- Alcohol (especially beer)
- Being male
- High protein intake
- Hyperuraemia
- Diuretic use (loop diuretics are worse)
Septic arthritis is most often caused by what?
Gram +ve bacteria due to a skin break
How may rheumatoid arthritis affect the respiratory system?
- Pneumonitis (methotrexate use)
- Pulmonary fibrosis
- Pleural effusions (associated cough and SOB)
How can rheumatoid arthritis affect the eyes?
- Scleritis
- Anterior uveitis
- Dry eyes
How can rheumatoid arthritis affect the renal system?
Glomerulonephritis
(Often presents with no symptoms)
How can rheumatoid arthritis affect the mucocutaneous system?
- Alopecia
- Oral/nasal ulceration
- Malar rash
- Photosensitive rash
- Systemic sclerosis (includes thickening and tightening of skin of fingers)
How can rheumatoid arthritis affect the cardiovascular system?
- Vasoconstriction of arteries e.g. Secondary Raynaud’s
- Increased risk of atherosclerosis, MI and stroke
- Valvulitis
- Endocarditis
- Pericarditis
- LVF
Which conditions may be associated with monoarthritis?
- Traumatic
- Gout
- Palindromic rheumatism
- Reactive arthritis
- Osteoarthritis
- Septic arthritis
Which two nail changes are a good indication of psoriatic arthritis?
- Onycholysis
- Nail pitting
What are “tophi”
Urate crystal deposition in the skin
